Legacy of Colonialism Exhibition

Low Intensity Operations: Subversion, Insurgency and Peacekeeping

Frank Kitson | 08 November 2011

Low Intensity Operations is an important, controversial and prophetic book that has had a major influence on the conduct of modern warfare. First published in 1971, it was the result of an academic year Frank Kitson spent at University College, Oxford, under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence,...

The story of Thomas Curry

Steven McCaffery, Irish News | 03 May 2006

THOMAS Curry, a civilian sea captain from Lancashire, was gunned down by hooded men after going ashore in Belfast to post a letter. Capt Curry was well known at Belfast's commercial docks and he stopped for a drink in a nearby bar before returning to his vessel, the Orwell Fisher. The UDA/UFF launch...

Weapon's theft recorded in every county

Steven McCaffery, Irish News | 03 May 2006

The 'half-truths' presented to politicians are all the more shocking when set against yet another document listing how army guns were passed to loyalists. The document entitled 'Subversion in the UDR', detailed in yesterday's Irish News, revealed how loyalists launched major weapons raids on army ba...

Files confirm suspicions

Steven McCaffery, Irish News | 03 May 2006

THE significance of the files made public in the last 48 hours is that they have delivered confirmation of what was once dismissed as a 'collusion conspiracy theory'. They represent a substantial addition to the debate on how the Troubles developed and why violence lasted so long. For the first time...

FORMER POLITICIAN TALKS ABOUT HIS LIFE IN THE UDA, UDR AND THE RUC

Steven McCaffery, Irish News | 15 May 2006

A former unionist councillor has revealed that while he was serving as a lance corporal in the Ulster Defence Regiment, he was also a commander in the paramilitary UDA. In a frank interview in today’s Irish News he confirms that the British army was aware of his links to the loyalist group and tells...

De-proscription of unlawful organisations (added Aug 2017)

Declassified 1974 NIO discussion doc on de-proscription of UVF and Sinn Fein. The juxtaposition of Sinn Fein (as opposed to the IRA) with the UVF tells us much about British government attitudes to loyalist paramilitary organisations. At the time the UDA remained legal and it would be another 18 years before London finally accepted that the UFF was nothing more than a nom de guerre for the UDA. This memo was written weeks before the UVF (Glenanne Gang) bombing of Dublin and Monaghan and the de-proscription went ahead on May 23rd, just days after the multiple bombings. See A State in Denial for detailed documentation on this aspect of de-proscription.

Weapons and Shooting Statistics (added Aug 2017)

Official memo on weapons seized on both sides of the border between 1969-1976 with a breakdown of types of weapons and a summary of key seizures. The information was supplied by the RUC Data Reference Centre which carried out intelligence analysis under the aegis of Special Branch. This February 1977 memo highlights the involvement of republican and loyalist organisations in the importation of weapons. It is striking that this (and hundreds of other declassified official documents) refer only to the UDA and never to the fictional UFF which was the nom de guerre used until the UDA was finally proscribed in 1992.

The document notes that the UDA was believed to have imported weapons in a container lorry from Belgium in October 1976. It goes on to speculate that "...UDA and UVF units in Belfast are apparently highly pleased with the excellent quality of the home-made SMGs [Ed note-Sub-Machine Guns] they are now receiving. " No 'UFF' weapons were seized because the Data Reference Centre, Chief Constable, GOC and SoS were well aware that there was no such organisation.

Arrest policy for protestants - loose minute December 1972

Security forces and the UDA

One MoD memo from November 1972 titled 'Security Forces and UDA' instructs that operations 'should be directed against their criminal extremist elements whilst making every endeavour to maintain good relations with law abiding citizens in the organisation.' The RUC apparently had similar instructions. Vigilante type patrols should be tolerated…